I think there are moments in our lives that seem insignificant at the time, but years later you look back on it and realize it was a defining moment. I had a flashback as I prepared this week’s message. Several years ago I was rebuked by an intern. And I’m so grateful. It was a little embarrassing getting lectured by a nineteen year-old kid, but I’m so grateful he had the courage to speak into my life. He said he detected some pride in the way I talked about other churches. And I hate to say, but he was so dead-on. So apologized to him and repented to God.

As a leader, there are times that you need to deflect criticism. I quote something I heard Erwin McManus say all the time: If an arrow of criticism doesn’t pass through the filter of Scripture, don’t let it pierce your heart. Listen, if it doesn’t pass through the filter then you need to ignore it. But if it does, you need to let it pierce your heart.

Every once in a while I’ll get a critical email or critical comment. And I don’t like being rebuked anymore than the next guy. But I’ve come to appreciate it because it forces me to look in the mirror. And it’s the only way I’m going to grow.

One of the tricks of leadership is having thick skin and a soft heart. But if I’m going to error on either side, I pray that God would give me a soft heart. I need voices that speak into my life. The second a leader thinks they are beyond rebuke it’s the beginning of the end.